MenB carriage dynamics
Research type
Research Study
Full title
MenB carriage dynamics amongst post-lockdown first-year university students
IRAS ID
328974
Contact name
Neil Oldfield
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 15 days
Research summary
This study will investigate the carriage and spread of meningococcal B (MenB) bacteria in first-year university students following arrival on campus. Carriage will be assessed by taking throat swabs to harvest bacteria, followed by molecular detection of meningococci and genetic characterisation of isolates. The traditional approach to meningococcal carriage studies has involved a doctor or nurse taking a throat swab from a study participant. Given recent widespread self-sampling for COVID-19 diagnosis, part of our study will investigate whether self-taken throat swabs have a similar sensitivity for detection of meningococci as swabs taken by health-care professionals. Meningococci will be detected, isolated and recovered MenB will be subject to whole genome sequencing. These DNA sequences will allow us to differentiate recovered MenB into different types based on the sequences of specific sets of genes and will tell us about the prevalence and spread of MenB lineages in the students during their first term at university. We can also use these sequences to predict whether immunization with the MenB vaccines, Bexsero or Trumenba, could protect individuals from meningitis or septicemic disease caused by these MenB strains. Comparing the strains detected in this study to other work performed prior to the pandemic will determine whether there has been a change in the types of MenB strains circulating amongst students.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0741
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jul 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion